Californians Schedule Bonfire in Wake of Pine Beetle Infestation

What do Californians do to help control a mountain pine beetleinfestation? They have a bonfire. The “The Burning Beetle and Bark Beetle Blues Talent Show Extravaganza” will take place in Custer County in January complete with a bonfire, and residents are urged to bring their Christmas trees to add to the bonfire. The mountain pine beetleinfestation is so bad that California’s governor has declared it an emergency. This is not the first time mountain pine beetles have caused destruction on a large scale in California, however. Mountain pine beetles were responsible for destroying a staggering 20 billion board feet of pine during World War II in the golden state.

We’ve tied the textbook record for the longest mountain pine beetle attack on record, 20 years and counting. California’s Gov. Jerry Brown just declared a mountain pine beetle emergency in his state, and with good reason. During World War II California …